1. Who the hell decide “the lucky
direction?”
This “lucky direction” is determined
based on where “the god of happiness” called Toshitoku-jin(歳徳神) is located and it changes every year. Huh so, who can see which
direction this god of happiness is? – It’s based on what we call Oriental
Zodiac.
乙か庚の年（when the last number of year is 0 or
5）→庚の方位(west-southwest)
丙か辛の年（when the last number of year is 1 or
6）→丙の方位(south-southeast)
丁か壬の年（when the last number of year is 2 or
7）→壬の方位(north-northwest)
戊か癸の年（when the last number of year is 3 or
8）→丙の方位(south-southeast)
甲か己の年（when the last number of year is 4 or
9）→甲の方位(east-northeast)
So it’s not like the god changes from
places to places, the direction is rather “calculated” based on the old fortune
telling kinda system.
2. Why it has to be this thick big sushi
roll?
This seems to be “depends on where we
live” thing. Some eat big thick sushi roll, some eat thin sushi roll. However,
the reason why it has to be sushi roll is because they need to put some
ingredients inside something. You must have noticed there are lots of
ingredients rolled up inside it and they all are believed to bring lucks. Since
it sounds nicer to have all lucks “at one bite,” they put all ingredients
together inside a sushi roll and MUNCH MUNCH!
3. Why we are not allowed to talk while
eating it?
Not to allow your happiness to go away
from your body. So it’s simple, if you want to have more happiness then shut up
and eat it. That is what they say at least.
4. When did we start doing this kind of non-sense?
The origin of this Ehou-maki roll can be
tracked back to Edo-period when people in a town in Osaka started eating a
sushi roll with 7 ingredients which represent all Seven Deities of Good Fortune(七福神). And they were eating it by heading the “happy direction” where
the god of happiness is. Everything is FOR GOOD LUCK.
However, the main reason why we do eat this roll these days is all
thanks to a marketing policy of 7/11(convenience store). It’s said to have become
popular after a convenience store in Hiroshima started selling the lucky direction
roll in 1989.
5. Why on February 3rd?
You will see the reason if you know the
meaning of this “Setsubun”(節分) thing. It
literally means "seasonal division." And the new season was felt to
be a time when the spirit world became close to the physical world. Therefore
there are lots of things have been done on the day before the season to be
changed into another one.
【Referrence】
60秒でわかる恵方巻講座 by Google+
恵方巻きの方角の決め方は？法則を覚えてあなたも即答！
Ehoumaki (ehou maki): Lucky long sushi roll for Setsubun no hi
